Ter Stegen's Barcelona comeback is also good news for Germany team

Marc-Andre ter Stegen has returned between the Barcelona posts after being sidelined for 223 days with a severe knee injury, which could also be good news for the German national team ahead of next month's Nations League finals.

Ter Stegen, 32, returned from a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee last September in Saturday's 2-1 LaLiga win for the leaders at relegated bottom club Valladolid.

"The captain is back," Barca said on their website, and Ter Stegen said on Instagram: "Happy to be back on the field with the team."

Ter Stegen made a few good saves and was not at fault when Valladolid scored with a deflected shot that looped over him.

Coach Hansi Flick was pleased, saying that "Ter Stegen showed how good he is."

But the fellow German will be taking no risks and said it was "our plan" to have Wojciech Szczesny back between the posts for Tuesday's Champions League semi-final return leg at Inter Milan, and Saturday's Clasico against Real Madrid which could all but decide the title race.

Ter Stegen will still likely get some playing time in other games, and could return into the German national team where he was declared first choice at long last by coach Julian Nagelsmann last year after Manuel Neuer's international retirement.

Germany play Portugal in the Nations League semi-finals on June 4 and the final or match for third place four days later.

"If he is fit and healthy and can perform at 100% then he will be the number one," Nagelsmann said in March.

Hoffenheim's Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel alternated to the four 2024 games after Ter Stegen's injury before Nagelsmann chose Baumann for both quarter-final games against Italy in March.

Should Ter Stegen not be fit for the Nations League finals, Nagelsmann plans a new assessment who will be between the posts.